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Urologist begins Clinic Days at MHP

Mahaska Health Partnership is pleased to welcome Urologist Aaron Smith, DO, who will be providing services on the MHP campus every Thursday.

“There is a big need for urology services in this area,” MHP CEO Jay Christensen said. “The addition of Dr. Smith is just one more way we are working to meet the healthcare needs of our community close home.”

Dr. Smith began practicing at Surgical Associates of Grinnell in July 2010 with Dr. Russell Bandstra. He has extensive experience in minimally invasive procedures to treat urinary tract diagnoses.

Dr. Smith received his Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine in Urology from Des Moines University and fulfilled his residencies in Michigan. His Bachelor’s Degree was completed at Central College in Pella. “I always wanted to return home to practice. I enjoy the people here and know there is a great need for urologists in the area,” Dr. Smith said.

Urology is a medical specialty which deals with diseases of the male and female urinary tract and male reproductive organs. Specialists treat diagnoses related to the kidneys, bladder and adrenal glands. Treatments can range from medication to physical therapy and surgery. “I strive to use the least invasive forms of treatment for all patients,” Dr. Smith explained.

Dr. Smith said he sees a number of patients for overactive bladder which occurs when the bladder signals the brain that it needs to be emptied too frequently. “The average woman urinates seven times per day; if a person has to go more often than that, they may have overactive bladder.

“Most people experience overactive bladder because the muscles of the bladder involuntarily contract,” Dr. Smith explained. The contraction signals the urgent need to urinate. Often the need is purely sensory meaning you don’t actually have to go to the bathroom.”

Other common diagnoses that can be treated by a Urologist include blood in the urine, enlarged prostate, incontinence and kidney stones. “Kidney stones are small, hard deposits that form in the kidneys,” Dr. Smith said. “They can cause severe pain when they move into the small tube connecting the kidneys to the bladder.”

According to Dr. Smith, symptoms of kidney stones include severe pain in the side and back, pain during urination, fever and chills and a persistent need to urinate. “Not all of these symptoms will be present and many can be mistaken for something else. There are many treatment options available for kidney stones but the most important factor is to come in as soon as you notice symptoms.

Dr. Smith said he is excited to begin practicing at MHP. “There is a great network of medical providers available here and I look forward to continuing to partner with them.”

Appointments will be available with Dr. Smith on the MHP campus in Oskaloosa beginning Thursday, August 25. To make an appointment, call 641-236-4323 or 866-613-4323.

Mahaska Health Partnership in Oskaloosa, Iowa is a thriving medical campus providing services from birth to end-of-life, and everything in between – including emergency care, outpatient services, classes, support groups, and elective and preventive healthcare. But it’s not what we do that sets us apart from other healthcare centers in Mahaska county; it’s the core values that inform every aspect of how we deliver a personalized healthcare experience. No one wants cold, impersonal healthcare – least of all us.

Our mission is to bring the humanity of compassionate care together with the latest technology and most informed science, treating all with honesty, respect, and confidentiality. We treat your family like they’re our family, from the receptionist’s desk all the way to the recovery room. It’s these values that make us the best rural healthcare team in Iowa.

Nowhere is our family-centric approach more evident than in our new Birthing Center. Our goal is to make the birth of your baby an experience you can enjoy, cherish, and share with dad, siblings and extended family in our spacious private suites. The birth of a baby is a miracle, and we are honored every time we share this joyous experience with our patients.

Just as the beginning of life is filled with love and family, we believe that the end of life should be supported with equal care - which is how we operate the Mahaska Health Partnership Hospice Serenity House. When hospice care can no longer take place at home, we offer our home staffed with nurses trained to meet the unique needs of hospice patients and their loved ones.

Life is a journey. It has its challenges, its soaring highs, and deepest valleys. We want to care for you and family through every turn. From the birth of your baby, to your surgery; emergency to elective healthcare services and all the sore throats, bumps and bruises along the way; the MHP family ishere to care for you.